Cowboys NFL Draft Needs by Position: More Help For Zeke at Running Back?
The April NFL Draft will soon be upon us. The Dallas Cowboys have of course already started the process in preparation for the re-loading of the roster, with new coach Mike McCarthy set to blend his philosophies into the big board to be built by personnel boss Will McClay.
Today: Cowboys NFL Draft Needs by Position: Does Dallas Need More Help For Ezekiel Elliott at Running Back?
CURRENT PLAYERS AT POSITION: Ezekiel Elliott (starter), Tony Pollard, Jamize Olawale (fullback).
2020 FREE AGENTS: None
DRAFT NEED: Low.
THE BREAKDOWN: Elliott got paid to end his holdout after preseason to the tune of $90 million over six years. Pollard is on a rookie deal that ends in three years. Olawale has two years left on his free-agent deal.
That isn’t to say that it’s not worth a late pick on a player that could offer the Cowboys something. But Elliott gives them the bell-cow RB1, Pollard gives them the change-of-pace back (who could take on a larger role in the event Tavon Austin does not return next season) and Olawale gives them the blocker they need in heavy-run situations.
We'd suggest that Olawale wasn't quite the special-teams impact player Dallas was counting on, and really, as a return man, Pollard's review is the same. New position coach Skip Peete will do his best, from Zeke on down, to keep this group vital.
If we’re prioritizing draft needs going into the 2020 season, running back falls on the low end, unless something miraculous falls into the Cowboys’ collective lap. Having said that: The wear-and-tear on guys like Todd Gurley and Zeke cause a smart organization to avoid falling asleep and missing any decline.
